South America
Barbados
BCAA — temporary suspension of imports
Barbados presents the most critical situation in the Caribbean for tourists: according to the Barbados Civil Aviation Department, there is a temporary suspension of imports and licences for all new drones, including hobbyist use.
Tourist flying effectively not allowed
A temporary suspension of drone imports of any size (including hobbyist ones) is in effect, most recently extended by the Barbados Government Information Service on 22 August 2026: a temporary permit can be requested through the Telecommunications Unit (form TU033, fee about 30 BBD) but is not guaranteed. The safest advice is to leave the drone at home while the suspension remains active.
The official registration page was unavailable during research; direct contact with BCAA before travelling is recommended.
A training certificate for the device and a radio spectrum licence are required.
Zones to avoid
No-fly zones usually follow the same recurring categories (airports, military sites, protected areas, historic centers). For this country: Forbidden within 50 m of crowds/buildings, within 5 km of Grantley Adams International Airport; some designated zones (Sterling, Lynches, Dash Valley) remain open with a licence and insurance.
What isn't 100% confirmed yet
The temporary import suspension is confirmed and reconfirmed active by the Barbados Government Information Service ('Temporary Ban On Drones Extended', 22 August 2026). The official registration page on bcaa.gov.bb remains unreliable/unreachable for specific details.
Last checked: 2026-09
Go deeper
Why registration exists
Here the threshold usually depends on the drone's weight or whether it has a camera: below a certain weight, often 250 g, many systems don't require registration for recreational use. Check the note above and the official source to see whether your specific drone falls under the requirement. For Barbados, the official reference remains Barbados Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA). The official registration page was unavailable during research; direct contact with BCAA before travelling is recommended.
How this usually works
Here the requirement depends on factors like the drone's weight, distance from people, or use case (recreational vs. commercial). The note above describes the most common case: if your situation is different, check the official source to see exactly which scenario applies to you before flying. The exam and certificate are handled by Barbados Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA). A training certificate for the device and a radio spectrum licence are required.
Informational content, not legal advice. Zones and rules change constantly: always check the country's official website before every flight.